Call-UPshaw UP? The Los Angeles D-Fenders have plenty of talent to choose from

Robert Upshaw landed on the Los Angeles Lakers Roster as an UnDrafted Rookie out of Washington where he was leading the Nation in Blocks with over 4 per game (19 games played).


At around 7-0' tall Upshaw has gotten himself lighter and he is making the best of it.

IN the home opener against the Warriors (11/14/15), Upshaw looked good.  He is only on record with 2 blocks in THIS game; there were at least two others that should have gone in his favor.

Such an exciting opening night victory for the D-Fenders! 🏀 -Tiege #LGLivin pic.twitter.com/Pu7d86u2Mv

— Laker Girls (@LakerGirls) November 15, 2015

     Regardless of those numbers and his others in the way of ReBounding and Scoring this kid is looking good.  His lateral movement, help and recovery defense is on point.  He did seem to taper off, energy-wise, in the second.  Perhaps THIS is what scouts are looking at?  Does he stay mentally focused?  Motivated?  Any Way you slice it, you cannot teach height and this kid has done nothing but take positive strides towards becoming and NBA player, so what gives? 

 There is ALWAYS MORE TO THE STORY 

Upshaw's Debut Highlights

     Upshaw has all-around game:  He has a nice touch, he can handle, pass and he is performing better with certain "anxious" tendencies that I had seen @ LAKERS SUMMER with better body control of his screen-setting, for example.  He leads with his defensive presence and his energy.  One question is, Can his Energy hold UP?  

How many games does he play in "The D" before HE IS called UP? 

 The Lakers can easily move Anthony Brown to the D-Fenders and LET HIM GET REPS.  I mean, if YOU'RE NOT going to use him in situations for defensive or three-point shooting purposes by THIS point, send him down.  Then, the Lakers can retain all of the talent OR simply waive Sacre.  Sacre is SOLID.  He will land on another NBA team.

     UPshaw is hovering around 18 minutes of PT but that is mainly because this D-Fenders team is LoaDed with Talent that beGins with returning Lakers Manny Harris and Vander Blue.

Zach Andrews starts in the middle on this team that has also seen Michael Frazier and Malcom Thomas as "DNP-CD" status

The "DNP-CD" was also status hanging for former Laker Xavier Henry which brings me to this:

Go Ahead and give me Xavier, Manny, Vander, and Josh Magette who dished out a game high 12 assists and is a player that many around campus are speaking very HIGHLY of.  






Add Andrews, UpShaw, Thomas from the D-Fenders squad. And Orton, Elliot Williams and Darrington Hopson from the Warriors Organization.  

NOW, put those gents up against "BKN."  

"Brooklyn?" A friend said AFTER a disappointing loss by the Lakers to the Denver Nuggets.  "They have to beat Brooklyn, RIGHT!?"  Thankfully, the Lakers DID.  BUT, could they (Lakers) Beat their own D-League Squad?

How about a  one-on-one match-up of Josh Magette vs. D'Angelo Russell?  

 Hibbert vs Upshaw?  How about Manny showing young D'Angelo how to GET to the free throw line... AND MAKE THEM?

As of Friday (11/13/15), Russell is averaging 50% from the charity stripe on .4 of .8 attempts per game while Mudiay was 2.4 of 3.8.  

Many good things were being said about Magette Saturday Night by AC Green.  Green ALSO commented that Coach Owens said that Magette should be called up to the NBA as well.

     Magette is solid.  He had the 12 assists with 4 turnovers but some of those were player errors on the other end.  I don't care about turnovers so much unless they lead to direct points by the opposition.

He stays in motion, runs an offense superbly and is always looking for his teammates.

hey, Marcelo Huertas has an NBA Contract...

This young man (Magette) as well as Upshaw, Manny, Vander, et al. ALL deserve a shot.

Jimmer was called up before he hit the hardwood for a regular season game in "The D." 

Oh yeah, add him to that "D-League squad" that was forming earlier.

The 31st NBA Franchise IS...(?)

Meanwhile, here are your D-League Teams

D-LEAGUE PROSPECT WATCH

Buy some Books, Don't Chew the Edges: Dwight Buycks Laker Guard

It was a bit surprising when the Los Angeles Lakers decided to sign Dwight Buycks to an NBA 10-day contract.  BY now, Lakers fans are very familiar with Jabari Brown.  And, perhaps, many know that he started the season with the Los Angeles DFenders.  Jabari had been the most consistent player on the squad and the team's leading scorer.  Some might have said that Vander Blue was also worthy of that same "Gatorade Call Up" that Brown received.  SO, some would suggest that BLUE would be called up after BROWN, should that opportunity arise.

Well, the Lakers liked a BLUE, However, it was the Guard for the Oklahoma City BLUE instead.  The LAKERS clearly liked what they saw in Dwight Buycks (BIKES), who had just finished displaying his talents in El Segundo in one of the final home games of the season for the purple and gold D-Fenders.

Buycks making the best of his NBA Call-Up

Buycks did well.  Very well.  He had to though.  Because of the hair. 

I had to explain two very important rules of roundball:

1) If you show up on the court and you are wearing "crazy" shoes, you better be able to play

2)  If you show up with hair like THAT (faux hawk), you BETTER be able to play

He can.

Lakers fans are now seeing why Lakers Brass made this decision.  Blue, after all, had been on a tear in the D-League.  In fact, he made the Fort Wayne Mad Ants look silly trying to guard him in the last two home games for the D-Fenders.  

Buycks STILL got the call.

And...



He, too, is making people look silly guarding him.

D-League Highlights of D Buycks : YIKES, D BIKES

Lakers be stockpiling them guards...

Lakers win in OT and the DFenders match with a win vs OKC BLUE

Blue vs Blue?

The match between the Los Angeles DFenders and the Oklahoma City Blue seemed that way at times as Vander Blue, especially in the second quarter, drove by anyone trying to guard him and finished at the rim or with short pull-up jumpers.  His 9 first half points "seemed" like twice that as he was scoring with determination and ease.  He finished with 27 on 10-19 FGs.  NBA Scouts have been watching him closely as of late and despite what the NBA D-League "Prospect List" says, with BLUE being #8, he is arguably the top player in the league.  Jamaal Franklin, who got bumped to #2 on "that" list finished with a nice Trip Dub of  11, 12, and 10.  Regulation ended with the teams knotted at 97 and the DFenders were LUCKY to get the dub: 106-105.

(Vander) Blue, blew by the (OKC) Blue

My name is Blue, Blue By YOU: Vander Blue has been on a tear for the D-Fenders

"My name is Blue..Blue Bayou (by you)."

I'm not sure if this is the sort of hardwood smack that Vander Blue of the Los Angeles DFenders runs as he is Blowing By HIS Defenders, but lately Mr. Blue has been on a tear averaging 33 points per game in the last five games since Jabari Brown's departure to the Lakers   (prior to the DFenders gm 3/25/15)

Vander Blue patiently awaiting that NBA callup

Fans of the DFenders were excited to see them bring in one of last year's top prospects in "the D."  Vander was one of the best all-around guards.

Manny Harris came back.